A Midsummer Night's Dream Act 3
at Lake Braddock Secondary School

Reviewed on May 22, 2021

Luke Jackins
James Madison High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

A mystical classic with a contemporary take: Lake Braddock Secondary continued their quadrennial tradition of performing Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream with a new take for each production. This year they approached the show with a modern rendition set in a pandemic in New York City.

The Cappies saw Act III of this marvelous production, which was composed of the end of Act IV and all of Act V in the traditional script. The story is the same, although there were a few changes to modernize the show. Theseus (Siam Salam) was the head of a huge conglomerate called AthensCorp and the lovers Hermia (Savannah Raeder), Helena (Elizabeth Lavallee), Ly Sander (Maggie Edwards), and D. Metrius (Wilson Weingast) were all employees of Theseus. Another change included the rude mechanics being referred to as the Rude Mechanical Theatre Company who were seen preparing and performing their show.

Given the current situation, the modern pandemic setting was a great way to execute this daunting show. Performing without an audience can be very difficult because live theatre feeds off the energy of a live audience. However, Riley Sheetz had no issues with energy in their portrayal of Nikki Bottom. They lead the Rude Mechanicals in their ridiculous production of Pyramus and Thisbe. In every scene Sheetz was in it was clear that they took their time to realize the character. They performed with nuance and wit; all of their jokes landed even in the difficult arrangement. Linus Brannam had a strong presence as Oberon. He acted with a dark and alternative nature that reinforced the modern New York setting. Lake Rusch was a joy to watch as Puck. They had a goofy and mischievous nature that was consistent throughout. Rusch's take on Puck's famous soliloquy was very successful. There are many different portrayals of the iconic soliloquy, and Rusch's version was full of carefree movement that created a caricature.

The energetic efforts of the actors were complemented by strong technical work. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, Lake Braddock Secondary tackled the difficult task. The whimsical forest was designed by Sungah Kong and was full of lush greenery. The set was enhanced by the shifting light work by Katie Brusseau and sounds by Ant Mahnken. Brusseau lit characters in different shades that went with each character and also paid attention to the time of day. Mahnken added subtle sound effects like birds chirping that realized the forest setting.

There was also original music created and performed by Jake Sizemore. Sizemore's use of current language for the fairy song and lullaby was refreshing and furthered the modern setting. The costumes by Nora Jacobson were also appropriate for today's era. The attention to detail was evident; one noticeable costume moment was how Oberon's dark wardrobe complemented Titania's light theme. Jacobson also costumed the fairies in light or dark attire to show who the fairies served. Alex Odell's makeup work was fabulous. She introduced current trends to each character's look that added individuality. Ethan Feil handled the huge task of editing. He made it seem like actors were talking to each other and were physically next to each other even though they filmed in a socially distanced setting.

Shakespeare can often be difficult to understand, but the pace, acting, and tech made this show easy to comprehend. The pandemic setting was very unique and created a relatable experience. The current theme was accented by gender-neutral casting, setting an example of what modern theatre should be.

Ankit Poudel
Herndon High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

Mischievous fairies, talking asses, and a whole lot of love! No, this is not some romcom telenovela, but rather Lake Braddock's eccentric performance of "A Midsummer Night's Dream Act III."

One of Shakespeare's most beloved plays, A Midsummer Night's Dream followed the journey of four youthful Athenian lovers as they fled to the outskirts of Athens where they encountered mythical creatures and a zany performing troop in an enchanted forest. The play was originally performed in 1605 and has been a staple of Shakespeare's comedy ever since. Lake Braddock's modern rendition of the classic tale was set in summer 2020 and followed the third act of the play, where the four lovers emerge from their sleep and the Rude Mechanicals put on their production of "Pyramus and Thisbe."

Leading the mystical cast, Ly Sander (Maggie Edwards) and Hermia (Savannah Raeder) exhibited youthful playfulness and strong chemistry, even in a virtual setting. On the other end, the enduring Helena (Elizabeth Lavallee) and D. Metrius (Wilson Weingast) presented great versatility to their roles, even when recording at different times. Not to be forgotten, Puck (Lake Rusch) beautifully blended their whimsical humor and witty remarks, keeping the smooth pace of the performance. The Rude Mechanicals player trope's rendition of "Pyramus and Thisbe" effortlessly played out and was a highlight of the act.

Not to be forgotten, the set (Sungah Kong) and costumes (Nora Jacobson) helped immerse the viewers into the twisted plot. The costumes had contrasting bright colors and dark tones, highlighting the unique personalities of all the characters. For example, Oberon was dressed in dark colors while Titania wore bright, vibrant colors.

The extraordinary cast of A Midsummer Night's Dream tackled a difficult Shakespearean comedy and turned it into something truly magical. Through their engaging actors, immersive sets, and creative costumes, Lake Braddock truly exhibited great resilience and provided a handsome performance of a beloved story.

Aidan Fox
Riverside High School
Submitted for publication to FCPS Community News

Traversing the rocky roads that this year has brought to the entertainment industry, Lake Braddock Secondary School attempted to steer it back on course by continuing its tradition of performing Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. With the intention of maintaining safety and tradition, the unique combination of a live stage play tied with the more digital performance aspects seen throughout this year gave many opportunities for every facet of ingenuity to shine through. However, due to the length of the piece, only the third act was viewed in this specific period.

Starting near the end of a piece would usually lead to confusion; however, thanks in due part to seamless editing by Ethan Feil along with consistent lighting from Katie Brusseau every single image and line seemed to follow directly into the next even with the isolated performance aspect of the show. The unique method of recording Lake Braddock took (having performers record separately, and then editing the cuts together to make it seem connected) was certainly a daunting one. However, the intimacy brought about by it more than made up for the hardships that must have occurred to reach their goal. Having only single cuts to actors the entire performance might have become stale, which is where music composer and performer Jake Sizemore came in, utilizing music as a unique transitionary method between performance styles and blending the modern aspects of the show with its fantastical roots in his composition, utilizing an acoustic guitar with more modern musical styles.

Building off the technical ingenuity of the piece, actors were given many liberties within their performances and had only themselves to work with in scenes. The actors worked through this and gave a comedic and intimate performance. One such performer is Riley Sheetz, who played Nikki Bottom and was the epitome of success within this piece. They took the incredibly audience-interactive Nikki Bottom and made the same level of comedy play out through their own solo performance, which was incredibly admirable and difficult in their given circumstances. Being good at bad acting is certainly a niche issue, but the Mechanics and Bottom alike managed to artfully create such an awkward, train wreck of production in the performance of Pyramus and Thisbe. Something that would normally be seen as a negative was, in fact, an overwhelming positive in this scenario. To help with the continuity of the show, costumes and makeup were required to make sure the audience could ascertain who was who amongst the sharp editing. Alex Odell (makeup) and Nora Jacobson (costumes) both managed to tactfully design fantastical yet realistic costumes and makeup in order to further demonstrate the chosen time period. A clear instance of using makeup to differentiate characters was the continued use of colorful eyeshadow on fairies and the distinguished lack thereof on the humans within the piece. Similar to makeup, costuming of the fairies allowed the audience to more easily comprehend the incredibly complex story of A Midsummer Night's Dream, and also drew in modern aspects in the form of more alternative fashion for some of the fairies (most notably Oberon).

All in all, Lake Braddock's continued tradition of A Midsummer Night's Dream managed to take the aspects of performance seen in years prior and mesh it with the intricate editing and digital interfaces found within the pandemic to create a truly unique and immersive spectacle which, regardless of your background on the piece, allowed for comedy and heart to shine through.

Natalie Tubia
Herndon High School
Submitted for publication to Connection

A joyfully frenzied display of the intertwined storylines of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream emerged in the enchanted forest (and zoom call) of Lake Braddock Secondary School. The language of the Bard is no cake walk, but with an excellent execution of Elizabethan-era prose and verse, the characters of this tale were consistently met with clever wit and endless joy.

Despite being written hundreds of years ago, A Midsummer Night's Dream has been entertaining audiences since 1595 with numerous adaptations, and Lake Braddock Secondary's production served as no exception. We meet our characters in Act 3 of Shakespeare's famous comedy, where Titania (Ella Fosse) expresses her love for Nick Bottom (Riley Sheetz), who has taken the form of an "ass" head at the hands of Oberon (Linus Brannam) and Puck (Lake Rusch) and their magical trickery. Brannam and Rusch effectively encapsulated the fairy duo as they hilariously partook in devious mischief that single-handedly put each character around them on a bizarre path. As Titania, Fosse wonderfully portrayed the ridiculous nature of her love and affections towards a man with the head of an animal.

One of the show's subplots, led by a player troupe of overzealous performers, similarly showcased witty banter and a complex understanding of Shakespeare's text. Highlighted with the commitment of Sheetz as Nick Bottom as they exhibited the slow and over-the-top death of Pyramus, these players guided the audience along on a hilarious journey as they rehearsed and performed their production of Pyramus and Thisbe. Having showcased an endless amount of physicality and quick-witted humor, there truly was never a dull moment.

The set and costumes (Sungah Kong, Nora Jacobsen) transported the audience from their screens to the magical forest of Athens with pastel tones and floral patterns that captured the whimsical ambiance of the show. The set and costume team's intensive attention to detail created a spotless atmosphere that immersed the audience in every aspect of the performance.

Serving as an uproarious and cheery indication of how the universe's magic works in numerous ways, Lake Braddock's production of the third act of A Midsummer Night's Dream is exhilarating, unleashing the youth that resides within us. These "mortals'' might not be such fools after all!

Sophia Coulopoulos
Riverside High School
Submitted for publication to The Bear Facts

"The show must go on." This is quite possibly the most used cliche of all time, but it is the perfect description of Lake Braddock Secondary's production of "A Midsummer's Night Dream". The past year has been a severely limiting factor for theatres and schools throughout the world. However, the students of Lake Braddock couldn't let go of their tradition of performing this Shakespearean classic every four years. Thus, the show was executed with much success. The third act of the production contains several twists in love, fairy-induced chaos, and comedic moments that were all impressively executed by the students on Lack Braddock Secondary within the constrictions of the pandemic.


The main area of strength of this production was the tech elements. Every sector of tech demonstrated creativity and was effective in making the production more individualistic, which is crucial for stories as timeless and reproduced as Shakespeare. The unique interpretation of the characters was apparent in Nora Jacobson and Alex Odell's costuming and makeup decisions. Specifically prevalent in the fairies, each character's distinction was shown through their costume and makeup. For example, Oberon (performed by Linus Brannam) was dressed with a dark-toned aesthetic, while Puck (performed by Lake Rusch) was made to look especially elvish through the use of greens and facial prosthetics. This theme continued in every character in the production. Next, the use of a set and in-person performance was a very unique decision in this season. Rather than fully utilizing online recording for the entire performance, much of the third act was recorded in person. For this to be successful, several other thriving areas of tech were necessary. First, Ant Mahnken's sound design was consistent, as most of the third act was filled with switches between individually filmed characters stitched together into one full and coherent scene. This success was due to continuities throughout the separate recordings, such as sound effects or background noise, and consistent audio levels that allowed smooth transitions between cuts. In addition, Ethan Feil's editing was crucial and effective. The constant switching between characters speaking felt fluid and natural, as it contained no awkward pauses or lulls in the pace of the scenes.

Acting is a crucial area to succeed in Shakespearean productions. In this production, the comedic acting was particularly strong. Riley Sheetz's performance as Nikki Bottom was a highlighting one, as their constant changes in vocal variety, extreme facials, and exaggeration made their acting entertaining in every moment of their scenes. As their character is categorized as comedic relief, they surely were up to par with the standard for entertaining comedy. Separately, the group of Mechanicals was another interesting interpretation to experience. Each member's unique and individual physical acting gave the dinner scene its comedic boost.


The beauty of Shakespeare is the diverse interpretations that are seen in each production of the same story. Lake Braddock Secondary's students surely had their own interpretation. Through strong tech elements and comedic acting, this production was a showcase of student talent in a unique yet timeless production.